Casing elevator



Jan. 8, 1946. R. A. coE

' CASING ELEVATOR Filed May 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

IIZZoI/M e v R. A. col:

CASING ELEVATOR Jan. 8, 1946. 4

IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 8, 1946. w R. A. COE. 2,392,462

' CASING ELEVATOR Filed May 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR.

BY V

Patented Jan. 8, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASING ELEVATOR Robert A.. (Joe, Oklahoma City, Okla Application May 22,, 1944, Serial N. 536,728

Claims.

My invention relates to. elevators for handling pipe, particularly drill pipe, in a well derrick.

The present invention pertains to elevators for lowering and raising pipe, into and out. of wells, more particularly oil wells, and pertains more specifically to elevators of the jawtype, wherein two arcuate body halves or members are hinged together at the rear, so that their forward edges may be swung together to surround or envelope a pipe beneath a shoulder thereon.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide, in a jaw-type elevator, a horizontally swinging latch for said forward edges, and a positive means for locking such latch in closed position.

A further object is to provide, in such an elevator, a latch and latch lockingmechanism which is sufficiently strong to withstand. the prying effect normally exerted when a string of external up-set, or tapered pipe is being supported thereon.

A still further object is to provide, in an elevator of the type described, a latch locking mechanism which will be instantaneous and automatic in operation.

Another object is to provide, in an elevator of this type, a latch locking mechanism which may be manually released instantaneously. I

Another object is to provide a latch lock releasing means, which cannot be inadvertentlyfouled and released by contact with derrick members, cables, or other elements usually present in an oil well derrick.

Still another object of the present invention is to supply an elevator of the class described,

which is so designed. that it may be made for either a left or right handed operation, and can be converted from left to right hand operation, or vice versa, without a change in the form of the body halves.

Other objects. will be apparent. from. the following description: when taken in conjunction with the accompanying; four-sheet drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of: the elevator looking downwardly thereon, the body halvesbeing shown in closed or latched positions;

Figure 2 is a perspective'view'looking. upwardly into the front of the elevator as: it appears; when in open position, the latch-being shown in position to be locked;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the open elevator with the latch in fully open position, and. showing in dotted linesthe position of av pipe therein;

* un-lockingthe. latching. means.

Figure 4 is a perspective view detailing the latch locking mechanism, the bolt thereof being shown in locking position;

, Figure 5 is a iragmentary'vertical sectional view of the front portionof one body half detail? ing the latch locking mechanism as it appears when in closed or looking position;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the locking mechanism asit appears when in retrieved or open. position; and,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the front portion of the other body half, and detailing the hinge mechanism for the latch.

Like. characters of reference designate like parts in all of the figures.

.In the drawings:

The reference character A indicates the left hand body half or member, looking from the front of the elevatbr, and B indicates the. right hand body half.

The rear portions of the two body halves A and B are provided with interengaging hinge loops 9 which are vertically bored alignedly to receive a hinge pin in whereby the front edges of the two halves may be, swung apart to permit entry therebetween of a vertically disposed pipe ll (Fig. 3). Interiorly, the body halves are each provided with. a vertically extending semi-circular groove I2 which grooves combine, when the body halves are closed together, to form a central bore l3 adapted to closely envelope the pipe section H beneath. an enlargement l4 carried thereby.

The body halves A and. B are each provided with laterally projecting bail arms 15 and l-S which are vertically spaced from each other to receive therebetween a usual elevator bail, not shown, for operatively supporting the. elevator in a well derrick in a usual manner. Removable pins ll are provided to span the space between the arms l5 and i6 so as to retain the bails in place.

The mechanism thus far. described, the parts of which have been indicated by the reference numerals 9 to I inclusive, is not new noris it individual' to this particular invention alone, since a similar structure is; found in most. well pipe elevators of the jaw type.

The invention per se residesin. the. means. for, latching the forward edges of the. two body halves together, and in the mechanism for locking and This structure will next. bev described. I

The latch is best illustratedin-Fi'gs. 2, 3and' '7, and. consists substantially of. a substantiallyrec tangular latch body having fiat upper and lower surfaces 2| and 22 respectively.

The latch body 2fl has a vertical through per- H foration 23 at one end, and a similar through' perforation 24 adjacent to its other end.. The perforation 24 lies adjacent to the right hand end 7 2-5 of the latch body 25 (Fig. 2), and this end of j the body 25 i nested in a cavity 26 formed in the upper portion of the forward end of the elevator body half B. Said end of the body half B also has a cavity 2'! which lies below the above mentioned cavity 25, and a pivot pin 28 extends up; wardly through both cavities 21, and 26, and

through the perforation 24 in the latch body '20; A tapered dowel pin 29 extend laterally through fore becomes imperative that a means be provided for drawing the latch pin 48 downwardly against 7 the action of the compression spring 50. This mechanism'is best illustrated in Fig. 4 and will next be described.

the latch body 20 and through the pivot pin 28 so thatthe pivot pin must rotate when the latch body is moved. The latch body, adjacent the end, 25,

is provided with a forwardly projectingactuating handle 36 by which the latch body 26 may be manually rotated in the elevator body half -B with the pivot pin 28 acting as an axis. Within the cavity, 21, there is provided around the pivot pin 28 a helicalv spring 3i... The spring 3| is adapted to bear against the walls of the cavity 21 and to The latch pin 48 has two outwardly extending horizontal trunnions 55. A closure plate 56 is removably mounted, by studs 51, over the forward urge the pivot pin 28 'to rotate in a direction whichbringsthe latch body 20 to the position showrijin' Fig; 2,'and to normally hold the same in such position. The elevator body half B is preferably equipped with. a forwardly projecting 1 guaidmember 32 which lies directly above the handle 36 when said handle is in its normal position (Fig.2). It is' obvious that the handle 35 may be moved manually toward the right hand,

and such movement will overcome pressure of the spring 3! and will bring the latch body 26 to the positionshown in Fig. 3.' A removable facin plate '33 'isf held by studs 34 to the forward end of the' body' half B in a position to close theforward end of the cavity 21. o

y The upper forward end of the elevator body half l A, is provided With a cavity'or socket 35 which is'ofa propervertical dimension to closely nest the lefthand end of the'latch body 20 when the elevator body v s 'A and B are swung together aboutthe pipe l4. The upper surface 36 of the cavity 35 is provided'with a oircular indentation' 31 for a purpose more fully described hereinbelow.

Theindentation '31 and cavity'35 are so'arranged and-locatedthat when the two elevator body halves A and B are swung together the perforation' 23. in thelatch body 26 aligns with the indentation 31 in the upper surface of the cavity 35; The forward end of the elevator body half A is also provided with a cavity 40, lying below the v cavity 35, and the bottom of the cavity 40 has a perforation which lies below and in axial alignment with the indentation 31. a

As a means for looking or latching the latch body-20 within the cavity 35, the following structure is provided: o

A vertical disposed pin 45, having an enlarged head-46, is inserted upwardly into the perforation 41 in the bottom of the cavity 41), and projects upwardly-into the cavity. The head 46 is welded face of the elevator body half A in a position to close the cavity 40. The forward face of the plate 56 is provided with two forwardly projecting spaced ears58 which are laterally perforated to receivefla pivot pin 59. Intermediate the ears 53,

the pivot pin 59 is held byfa key 66 to the forward end 6| of a bifurcated yoke member 52 having rearwardly projecting legs or tines 63. When the plate 56 is in place, the tines 63 project rearwardly into the cavity 40 on each side of the latch position lying adjacent the plate 56. This spring 65 therefore normally holds the tines 63 of "the yoke 62 at therupper end of their throw in the cavity 46. It is obvious that manual movement of thehandle 64 outwardly from the plate 56 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 will move the tines 63 of theyoke 6'2 downwardly and this movementwill force the tines to contact the trunnions and move the latch pin 48 downwardly against the action of the compression spring 50. This movement will; .of coursefdraw the latchpin 48 out of the perforation 23in the latch body 20, and the latch'body 26ca'ntherefore be swungioutwardly to th'eposition shown in Fig.3. Further right hand pressure "upon the 7 described being provided, when the body halves or otherwise rigidly attached to the elevator body half A as shown at 41. A latch pin 48 has a partial vertical bore 49 extending upwardly from its lowerend, and is adapted to seat over the pin 45.

A'compressi-oh spring 56 surrounds the pin 45 and the upper end of th spring is nested in the bore 49 of the latch pin 48. The spring 50 therefore normally urges the. latch pin 48 upwardly intothe indentationf3'l. If the elevator bodyhalves A' and B are in closed position, and'if the latch body 20 were once opened, and the handle 64 was then released; the spring 50 would immediately urge the latch pin 48 to return to its uppermost posi-' tion. This would, of course, prevent the re-entry of .thela'tch 20 into the cavity'35 if the elevator body halves A and B were to be again swung togethen As a means for latching the latch pin 48 in its lowermost position, the rear'wall'of the cavity ifl is'provided with a strap spring element which extends upwardly into the rear portion of the cavity 35. The spring element 'HJ has'a laterally projecting .lugf II which continuously bears against the side of. the latch pin 48. The

upper end of the latch pin 48 isprovided with an indentation 12; This indentation form's-an upwardly facing shoulder'13 over which the lug Hf latches, when the latch pin 48 reaches the lowerspaced a slight distance from the rear wall of the cavity 35. When the elevator body halves A and B are swung together, the left hand end I of the latch body 20 contacts the upper end of the spring element I0, and draws the lug. I I out of contact with the shoulderll3. ofthe latch pin 48. This permits the latch pin 48 to immediately travel upwardly through the perforation 2'3 in the latch body 20, and into the indentation 37. This travel is, of course, caused by action of the compression spring 50.

Since the cavity 26 in the body half B is similar in locality and dimension to the cavity -35 in the body half A, and since the cavity 21 in the body half B is similar in locality and dimension to the cavity 40 in the body half A, it is obvious that the elevator could be made to operate with either the left or right hand simply by changing the plates 33 and 56 and changing the pin 45 and its accompanying structure over into the other body half in lieu of the pivot pin structure. It is pointed out that the body half A has a guard element i8 which is substantially identical to the element 32 of the body half B. It is also obvious that the latch mechanism could well be made to operate with both the left'and right hand by merely placing the pin and yoke structure of the body half A also in the body half B.

From the foregoing descriptions it is thought obvious that anelevator latch and latch locking structure has been disclosed which accomplishes all of the objects set forth hereinabove.

I claim:

1. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch pivotally mounted on a vertical axis and carried by one body half, said latch having one end projecting toward the second body half, the projecting end portion of said latch having a vertical through perforation; a socket in the second body half within which the projecting portion of said latch is 'adapted to nest when the two body halves are swung together; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; and means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation.

2. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch pivotally mounted on a vertical axis and carried by one body half, said latch having one end projecting toward the second body half, the projecting end portion of said latch having a, vertical through perforation; a socket in the second body half within which the projecting portion of said latch is adapted to nest when the two body halves are swung together; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; spring means for urging said latch pin to travel toward and normally remain at the end of its throw in which it engages within said perforation; and means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation.

3. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch pivotally mounted on a vertical axis. and carried by one body half, said latch having one end projecting toward the second body half, the projecting end portion of said latch having a vertical through perforation; a socket in the second bodyhalf within which the projecting portion of said latch is adapted to nest when-the two body halves are swung together; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprooatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation; and means for automatically locking said latch pin in its withdrawn position. I

4. In awe-ll pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch pivotally mounted on a vertical axis and carried by one body half, said latch having one end projecting toward the second body half, the projecting end portion of said latch having a vertical through perforation; a socket in the second body hal'f within which the projecting portion of saidla-tch is adapted to nest whenthe two body halvesare swung together; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second bod y half and adapted to pass through said perforation; spring means for urging said latch pin to travel toward and normally remain at the end of its throw in which it engages within said perforation; means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation; and means for automatic'ally locking said latch pinin its withdrawn position.

5. I In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch pivotally mounted on a vertical axis and carried by one body half, said latch having one end projecting toward the second body half, the projecting end portion of said latch having a vertical through perforation; a socket in the second body half within which the projecting portion of said latch is adapted to nest when the two body halves are swung together; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; spring means for urging said latch pin to travel toward and normally remain at the end of its throw in which it engages within said perforation; means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation; means for automatically locking said latch pin in its withdrawn position; and means carried by said latch pin lockin means for automatically releasing the same when the latch is returned to its socket.

6. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch, pivotally mounted upon one body half and adapted to be swung horizontally into a socket in the second body half, said latch having a vertical through perforation in its swinging end portion; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; and means for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation.

7. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together. to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch, pivotally mounted upon one body half and adapted to be swung horizontally intoa socket in the second body half, said latch having a vertical through perforation in its swinging. end portion; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; spring means for urging said latch pin to. travel toward and normally remain; at the end of its throw in which'it engages within said perforation; and means for through said perforation; means'for manually withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation; and means for automatically locking said latch pin in its withdrawn position.

9. In a well pipe elevator, thelcombination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch, pivotally mounted upon one body half and adapted-to be swung horizontally into. a socket in the second body half, said latch having a vertical through perforation in its swinging end portion; a vertically disposed latch pinreciprocatably mounted in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation spring means for urging said latch pin to travel toward and normally remain at the end of its throw in which it engages within said perforation; means for manually Withdrawing said latch pin from said perforation;

and means for automatically lockingrsaid latch pin in its withdrawn position.

10. In a well pipe elevator, the combination with two arcuate hinged together body halves adapted to be swung together to surround a pipe, of a latching mechanism for holding the two halves in closed relation, including: a latch, pivotally mounted upon one body half and adapted to be swung horizontally into a socket in the second body half, said latch having a vertical through perforation in its swinging end portion; a vertically disposed latch pin reciprocatably mounted a in the second body half and adapted to pass through said perforation; spring means for .urging said latch pin to travel toward and normally remain at the end of its throw in which it engages within said perforation; means for manually 

